1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to terminals and more specifically to terminals which are insulation-piercing and capable of being secured to flat, one or two-conductor lead-in wires, such as those utilized to connect a television receiver and an antenna, and to the conductor therein. Such wires are characterized by a relatively flat layer of insulation of predetermined width with the conductors disposed therein.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It has generally been found that the best and most reliable means of terminating an antenna wire has heretofore been through the use of automated machinery at the manufacturing stage. This means has initially required the removal of a portion of the flat insulating material between the conductors which are located within the marginal portions of the wire. After the insulation is stripped from the end of each remaining marginal portion of the wire to expose the conductor therein, a ring or spade terminal is secured to each exposed conductor.
It is often found, however, that the television owner needs to make a termination himself if, for example, the pre-installed terminal fails, the wire needs to be replaced or shortened, or additional receivers are placed on the same antenna. The means of termination described hereinabove, besides requiring several preparatory steps, is not well suited for use on location should the need arise. Removing and stripping the insulation from these wires without special tools is usually very difficult because the conductors comprise gathered strands of fine wire which can be easily damaged. To properly solder or crimp a terminal to the exposed conductor also requires special tools which the owner may not have.
It is, therefore, not infrequent that an owner will use a knife to remove the insulation but, in so doing, will accidentally cut the conductor and have to begin again. When the insulation is eventually removed, he will simply wrap the conductors around the respective receiving screws on the television receiver which are then tightened down directly on the conductors. However, since the wire is not supported, repeated movement of the receiver or the wire eventually causes one or both exposed conductors to fail to require the whole procedure to be repeated.